Unexpected Complications
by ladybard327
Summary: Booth has a huge awakening once he realizes that him dating someone new has freed Brennan up to do the same...
1. Chapter 1

Unexpected Complications

Ch. 1: Absence and Presence

"Hey Cam, what's Hodgins doing here? He hates these things more than I do." Booth asked as he sidled up to his friend. He knew that the bug man normally avoided the Jeffersonian ball every year because he didn't want to be bothered by the suck ups who might recognize the very rich but ultimately very private man.

"Oh, he came as Brennan's date. Said he figured he could be slightly rude if he had to if he wasn't here as an employee." Cam said simply.

"Oh. Wait. Brennan's date? You mean like a friend thing, right?"

"Not exactly Booth, no."

"What?!" Booth was in total shock. Were Bones and Hodgins dating? When the h3ll had that happened?

"What Seeley, you expected her to come alone? You brought a date, why shouldn't she?" Cam said sharply, annoyed with the FBI agent. Things had been tense around the lab for the past few months, ever since he started seeing his latest blonde. She knew he wasn't serious about the girl, that he was just having a "good time" as he put it, but that wasn't really the point. No, the point was that he shouldn't be dating anyone else when he was so obviously in love with a certain forensic anthropologist. And judging by the way Brennan had been walking around like a zombie since she found out, the feelings were definitely mutual.

"What? No! I mean, of course Bones should have a date. I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Uh huh, sure that's it."

Booth ignored his friend and stared at the couple who were now making their way across the dance floor. Pale blue eyes locked with deep blue ones as they started to move together, small smiles on their faces. Even in his shock he noticed how beautiful Bones looked tonight in her silver evening gown and how handsome the normally scruffy Hodgins looked in his tux, especially with his beard trimmed back. They looked like a well-matched pair—attractive, brilliant, wealthy people who were enjoying each other's company. Booth had to keep himself from crying out in frustration.

"It started about a month ago," Cam explained, noticing the expression on Booth's face. _He should have known better_, she thought to herself. _He's supposed to be the 'heart' guy_. "You were out with Julie and Brennan was working way too late as she had been since you two didn't have regular plans anymore. I was actually about to go into her office and try to make her leave with me when I noticed Hodgins heading in there instead. He just walked right up to her, held out his hand and said 'come on, we're going to dinner.' And just like that, she put her hand in his and let him lead her out of the building. Since then, I usually don't see one without the other."

"But—" He started speaking without really having a clue as to what he was going to say. But what?

"Seeley, you're such an idiot."

"What?"

"You heard me. You are so clearly in love with Brennan and yet you start dating another woman. Then, you expect her to handle it like its no problem and nothing's changed while simultaneously distancing yourself from her little by little. You're the one who made her open up and let people in, and then when she does just that and starts to depend on you, you're too busy with your latest fling to spend time with her. God! I hate when people do this—they get so wrapped up in their relationships that they just ignore their friends. I wouldn't have expected it from you Seeley, not when it comes to her."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're off having a good time with Julie, Angela's completely consumed by Roxie, h3ll even I have a social life! Who's the odd person out here Booth? Who's the one who keeps getting left behind?"

"Oh my god…"

"Yep. Luckily for all of us, there was someone else left out too who actually took notice of how lonely she was. I never would've put the two of them together, that's for sure, but you and Angela both left them alone and broken. If you don't like what you see now, you have only yourselves to blame." And with that, the no-nonsense woman stalked away from the dumbstruck man to go find herself a strong drink.


	2. Chapter 2

Unexpected Complications

Ch. 2-- Me and You

"Have I told you yet how beautiful you look tonight T?" Jack Hodgins smiled at his date, feeling completely content with the world.

"Yes Jack, thank you." She answered with a smile as she blushed slightly. "And may I say you really do a tuxedo justice."

"I should. I've had to wear enough of them in my life." He said with a shrug. "I still like my lab coat better."

"On that we can definitely agree." They silently swayed to the music for a few long moments before she started quietly laughing. "Can you imagine if we showed up to one of these things wearing our normal lab gear?"

Hodgins couldn't help but laugh with her at the absurd thought. "That probably would've created a bigger stir then us showing up together!"

"What do you mean?" She asked, her brow wrinkling in confusion.

"Ah, you know I never go to these things. I really don't want anyone realizing I work at the Jeffersonian. But tonight, I get to just be the lucky SOB who got to escort the brilliant and beautiful Dr. Temperance Brennan. The fact that I'm here at all, added to the fact that we're here together means there's bound to be talk."

"Oh." She paused, sorting out her feelings a bit before putting them into words. "I didn't even think of how I might be putting you in a weird position by asking you to come, Jack. I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't be—I want to be here. With you. Whoever's going to gossip would do that no matter where they saw us. At least this way we get to dress up and eat lousy food and drink too much champagne and dance. There are a lot worse ways to spend the evening." He said with a smile and she couldn't help but smile back.

He was such a kind man, so thoughtful and funny and he really seemed to 'get' her. He'd been her salvation this past month or so, helping her to enjoy a bit of life while her heart felt broken. He was the only one who understood what it was like to watch the one you wanted go off with someone else, and that had strengthened the bond they'd built while they were buried by the Gravedigger all those years ago. He understood what few people ever saw—that just because she didn't announce how she was feeling, it didn't mean she didn't feel anything. In fact, sometimes she felt so much she was afraid she was going to drown in emotion. It had happened more than once on the platform recently and she remembered standing there, struggling to breathe, willing herself to keep it together. But somehow, right when she thought she would break, he always seemed to know and would catch her eyes and give her a small smile, and she would feel a little bit better. A little bit stronger. And that was enough. The only other person who ever seemed that in tune with her had been Booth and she'd missed that more than she could describe in the past few months. Ever since he started dating his latest girlfriend, Brennan rarely saw him outside of work, if at all. No more late night take-out dinners, no random invitations to lunch, no impromptu excursions with Parker. She'd felt like someone had cut off a piece of her and left her walking around incomplete. But the worst of it all had been the distance she felt from him even when they were sitting next to each other in his SUV. The joking, talking, touching that she hadn't ever realized she counted on had disappeared, leaving only friendly professionalism in its wake. She still didn't know exactly what she'd done wrong, but she hadn't had the courage to ask outright.

Then, just when she'd been at her lowest, Hodgins was there holding his hand out to her and smiling. She'd looked into his deep blue eyes and had known immediately that he'd understood. He'd lost Angela just like she'd lost Booth (even though she'd never actually _had_ Booth) and they were both alone. Plus, they were probably the two people who were still missing Zack and had felt his betrayal most. Until that first dinner, she'd never really given any thought to how much they had in common but it was all there—a strong intellect, a passion for science, a deep sense of loyalty to friends, an understanding of how it felt to be alone in the world. Slowly, they'd developed a deep and lasting friendship. Now, well, now it seemed they were heading for more. She still wasn't sure how she felt about that, what exactly either of them wanted from this, but they'd talked about it and decided to just let things develop on their own. If they became romantic, great. If not, they'd still be friends.

"What's going on in that massive brain of yours?" He asked, coaxing another smile out of her.

"I was just thinking about how we got here." She answered honestly.

"You mean the limo?"

"No," she laughed. "I mean here as in us…together. In whatever way we are."

"Ah, still surprised to be hanging out with a bug man, are you?"

"No," she laughed again. "I just never would've expected this. For us to be so… close." She took a deep breath and stared deep into his eyes. "Thank you, Jack. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"It goes both ways, T. Both ways." He said softly, reaching over to press a gentle kiss on her surprised mouth.

As they continued to dance and look at each other, each trying to sort out their own feelings, they failed to notice a very angry FBI agent staring at them from the side of the large hall.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note**__**: Okay, I've gotten some rather interesting reviews and some people REALLY don't get the whole Brennan/Hodgins thing. Let me just say, I totally understand. This is not the pairing I've been dreaming of for 4 years either! **__****__** But as a viewer, I'm getting tired of Booth not making a move and I think something drastic is needed to make him wake up. Plus, the events of Hero in the Hold not withstanding (Hodgins made a huge mistake there), I've been expecting Brennan and Hodgins to become closer friends ever since the first Gravedigger incident. If anyone were going to try to take up the slack from an oblivious Booth, I figure it would be him. Never fear though, I have total faith in soul mates and happy endings! Just hang in there…**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I own nothing but my own thoughts. Bones and all it encompasses are property of HH and FOX. **_

**UNEXPECTED COMPLICATIONS—Chapter 3 **(Laugh & Cry, part 1)

It took every bit of self-control Booth had ever acquired to keep him from storming onto that dance floor and tearing Bones out of Hodgins' embrace. When he saw the bug man kiss her softly, he'd had a moment of rage so powerful, he'd literally blacked out for a moment, only coming out of it when he'd felt the glass break in his hand.

The biggest problem Booth had though, was knowing exactly who he should be angry with. Brennan? No, Cam was right on that one, he'd left her alone too much lately. After all he'd done to worm his way into her life and her heart, she'd been right to feel a loss. He just hadn't realized it at the time, too consumed in his feeble attempt to protect his heart to see what he had really done. He'd left the door open for another man to walk through. All because he'd been too scared to take that step himself. So instead he'd turned away at the first flashy distraction, trying to prove to himself that he didn't need her as much as he thought he did. And now, as much as he wanted to lay all his rage at the Hodgins' feet, he knew he couldn't blame him. Not really. Bones was amazing. Brilliant, beautiful, successful, with a quick wit and a gentle heart she let few people see. She was the epitome of a 'catch'. The ultimate catch, actually. He couldn't blame the bug man for being interested. H3ll, he didn't really understand why the man hadn't seen it before or for that matter, why there wasn't a line of men laying at her feet, begging for their chance at every opportunity. But then again, few men had the luck to see the real woman inside Dr. Temperance Brennan. They saw her as cold, detached, self-sufficient and it intimidated them. That had been his saving grace until now. There hadn't been anyone willing to put in the effort to discover how truly amazing she was, no man patient and caring enough to help her break down those walls around her heart, no one stubborn enough to not let her push them away. Which left him to be that person for her, in every way but one. He'd been the one who she could turn to in a crisis or in joy, he'd been the one allowed to take care of her, to cherish her and treat her the way she should have been treated her entire life—like a precious gift. Now, looking at the two of them on the dance floor, he knew that there was someone else who saw what he saw. Someone who was kind enough and stubborn enough to get to her heart. Someone who was deserving of her. And Booth had no one but himself to blame.

"Hey Sugar, how about a dance?" Julie sidled up to him, pressing herself against his arm in a clear attempt to grab his attention to her obvious assets. She was a nice enough woman, if a little shallow, and he generally had a good time when they were together but that was as far as it went. He glanced a look at his date and tried for a small smile. She knew where they stood, he'd made sure there were no illusions about hearts and flowers when they'd first gotten together, and she'd always been fine with a strictly casual relationship. "Everything okay?" She asked, picking up on his obvious mood.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just need another drink, how about you?"

"I'm always up for another drink baby. Lowers the inhibitions and all that so that later on I can have my wicked way with you." She smiled and wiggled her eyebrows at him, obviously trying to get him to laugh. To please her, he let out a small snort of laughter and let her lead him toward the bar. But he couldn't help his eyes from traveling back to the couple on the dance floor, seemingly in their own little world, separate from everything and everyone around them. And even though he knew he should be happy for them, he couldn't escape the overwhelming urge to cry.


	4. Chapter 4

Laugh and Cry (part two)

A few days after the ball, Booth was still out of sorts. He hadn't mentioned her new relationship at all and neither had she, so he was almost hoping that it all would just fade away. But he couldn't help but notice that his partner had been smiling more lately, which wasn't something that made him particularly happy, so their bickering hadn't really abated.

"Booth, I don't understand why we had to go all the way out there. It was just a waste of our time." The woman in question was currently protesting as they walked back in to the Jeffersonian. They'd gone out to a rural area in Virginia to investigate a body found in an old barn. It hadn't been a priority case and truth be told, they hadn't exactly been assigned to the case, but Booth had jumped at the opportunity to get Bones out of the lab for a while. "It wasn't even a murder!"

"I know Bones, but we didn't know that before we got there. Just chalk it up to an experience. At least we got to have a nice morning drive in the country." He said, trying to coax a smile out of her. A smile specifically for him. When a small one appeared on her face, he felt his heart swell with pride. _See that, _he thought, _I can still get that reaction._ He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice that his partner had stopped inside the doorway to her office until he all but ran into her back. "Bones…"

Then he saw exactly what made her stop in her tracks. Her office was bathed in flowers. Gerbera daisies in every color brightly decorated every surface, some in vases, some tucked into pencil holders, some laying flat on her desk and couch. They were everywhere.

Slowly she moved into her office, a look of pure wonder on her face as she went up to each and every vase, smelling and touching the flowers. A smile unlike any he'd ever seen before spread across her face like sunlight, mesmerizing him and making him move unconsciously toward her as if pulled by some magnetic force. Until a voice from the doorway made him stop dead in his tracks.

"Do you like it?" Hodgins asked softly from the doorway, looking a bit anxious until Brennan turned around and he was able to see her smile. Then an answering one, just as bright, appeared on his face. "Question asked and answered, huh?" He said to Booth, apparently unaware of the unhappy look on the agent's face.

"Jack, they're beautiful." She said softly, moving toward the bug man. Booth's expression turned into a full scowl when he heard her speak. He'd never heard her call him anything but Hodgins before. "But why?"

"Because it's my birthday."

"Yes, I know, we have dinner plans tonight to celebrate, remember?" She asked and then continued after he nodded, her confusion evident in her eyes. "But I don't understand why it being your birthday means I get flowers. You should be the one getting the presents."

"T, I just did. Nothing has made me happier today than seeing you enjoy these flowers. Your smile is my perfect gift." He said softly, reaching out to cup her face with his hand.

"Jack, I don't know.. no one's ever… I… thank you." She said with a little laugh at her own incoherence, throwing her arms around the scruffy man's neck and pressing her body into his.

Booth felt a rage unlike anything he'd ever experienced before rise up from his stomach. No, rage wasn't the right emotion. Or at least it wasn't the only emotion. Rage had never made him feel like he was going to lose not only his breakfast but everything else he'd eaten that week. Rage had never made him want to curl up a ball and hide like he was feeling now. Rage didn't make want the earth to swallow him whole the way this did. This was something else, something deeper and more complex. Standing there, watching them embrace, he felt as if his soul were shattering.

He muttered a quick excuse about needing to get back to work (not that either of them noticed his leaving) and walked out to his car. Shoulders slumped, head down, he somehow managed to make it into the driver's seat before giving in to the tears that had burned behind his eyes. After today, he knew this was getting serious and he couldn't just wait around for things to fall apart between the two scientists. He couldn't just stand on the sidelines waiting anymore. He'd already waited too long and made too many mistakes (like dating Julie). If he wanted this, if he wanted her, he was going to have to fight. Lucky for him, that was something he knew how to do and do well. And while he might not have his opponent's money or brilliance, he had something Hodgins did, couldn't have—four years with her at his side, four years of knowing her better than he knew himself, four years of being the one she turned to whenever something happened for good or bad. And most of all, four years of loving Temperance Brennan.


	5. Chapter 5

Question and Answer

"So, you and Hodgins huh?" Booth finally got up the nerve to ask her the next time they were alone together in the SUV. His old military training had taught him that before you went into battle, it was best to know as much about your enemy as possible and even though his heart didn't want the information, his head needed to know what he was up against.

"Yeah," she said softly, looking out the window of the SUV. "Strange huh?"

"Well, I don't know about strange but definitely surprising," he said kindly, not wanting to start this conversation by annoying her right off the bat.

"Yeah, for us too," she laughed.

"So, is it serious?" He asked, not really wanting to know.

"I don't know. Maybe." She paused, her eyes losing their normal clear focus as she thought about it. "It could be, I think. I think for Jack, I could be enough."

"What do you mean?" _Enough for what? _What exactly did this amazing woman think she was or wasn't?

"You remember when we had that case about the reporter who caught people cheating?" He nodded when she looked over at him as encouragement to continue. "And remember how I was seeing two guys at that time."

"Mark and Jason. The deep sea welder and the botanist who liked Coldplay." He said with a smirk.

"Well after that whole fiasco, I started to think about what it would be like in a monogamous relationship. And after what you told me, the way you said there was someone for everyone, it sounded… nice. But there hasn't been really been anyone since then. I'm having a dry spell, I think you'd call it. I've wanted to explore the idea of monogamy with someone, I've wanted to be special to someone and have them be special to me, but the few times I've actively tried to start something, it just felt wrong. It felt like trying to make that connection with someone, a virtual stranger, was like going on one endless job interview after another. Honestly, that whole process was more depressing and lonely than any of my previous superficial physical relationships."

"Yeah, dating strangers sucks." He said simply.

"Exactly. And the weirdest part? It felt like every time I went on one of these dates, I was the one who came up lacking. The men who were interested in a quick release were obvious to spot and stay away from. But the other guys? I call them the nesters, they were the one who really could mess with your head."

"How so?"

"In theory, they should've been perfect because they were obviously trying to find their someone, make that connection. They were obviously missing something in their life and were actively looking for it like I was, so there should've been a connection there…"

"But…" he prompted.

"But it felt like they weren't looking for me. They weren't really looking for anyone specific, I don't think, they were just looking for someone to marry and have kids with. Not that just anyone would fit the bill, but it was clear that they were looking for someone to fill a position in their lives, not just someone to be with and who wanted to be with them. There were all these cords tied up to any possible relationship before it even started. It was exhausting."

"Strings." He corrected softly.

"Huh?"

"When there are conditions on something, the saying is that there are 'strings attached'. Strings, not cords."

"Oh."

"So you're basically saying that there aren't any strings with Jack?" He understood her point, when you went out with someone who just had marriage and babies on their mind, it felt like it didn't matter who was sitting in front of them, just whether or not they'd fit the bill. He'd seen that look in enough girls eyes to know when to run away from that situation. He'd never really thought about guys being the same way, but he supposed it made a certain kind of sense. Guys might not have the same biological clock things going on, but they definitely felt when they were getting older and when they were ready to settle down.

"No, there are strings, I guess. But from what you've been teaching me all these years, I think any relationship would bring its own strings, if there's any kind of commitment there."

"So you and Hodgins are commited?"

"In so much as we're not dating other people, yes."

"So Jack doesn't look at you as a means to an end, huh? As though you might be the person to give him a family or it might be the next girl around the corner, it doesn't really matter much?"

"Exactly!" She said excitedly, happy that he understood something she was having such difficulty explaining. "For Jack, I'm enough. Just me and him being together, that's all that either of us are focusing on and I've got to say Booth, that's a nice feeling. Not being desirable because I'd make a good wife or mother, or because my pseudo-celebrity can open doors, or even just because I'd look nice on some guys arm. Just me, Temperance. It's very nice."

_She keeps saying 'nice', _he thought to himself. _That word doesn't exactly evoke a lot of passion. _

"I just want someone to look at me and think—being with her is all I care about. All I want. And I want to be able to have that person be that someone for me. Just enough for each other. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes," he said softly, and he truly did. Because he'd long since realized that his onetime dreams of a white wedding and lots of children didn't mean a damn if he didn't have Bones. She was what was important. All the other trappings he'd once thought were so important paled in comparison to simply being with her, in whatever way she'd let him. Now he just had to convince her that not only was she 'enough' for him, she was the only one for him.


	6. Chapter 6

Love and War, part 1

"Brennan."

"Bones…"

Hearing that rough voice, she immediately stopped what she was doing. "Booth, what's wrong?"

"I…oh God this is stupid, I shouldn't have called…"

"Booth! What happened?" She said sternly. The panic she'd felt when he'd first said her name easing a little with his reluctance to 'bother' her. Stupid alpha male tendencies. He obviously needed her help but didn't want to come out and say it. She might not know people in general, but she knew him.

"I threw my back out at hockey practice." He said, pain evident in his voice. "I was hoping you could come over and do your magic on my spine but I just realized its 8:00 on a Friday night and you're probably out with Hodgins and I don't want to interrupt. Do you think maybe you could come by tomorrow?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You're in pain now, I'll come over now. Jack'll understand. We were only going to get some take out and watch a dvd anyway, nothing big."

"Oh. If you're sure its okay…"

"Yes Booth, I'm sure. I'll be over in like 20 minutes, okay? Don't move until I get there, I'll use my key to let myself in. Have you eaten? Do you need me to stop and pick up some food on my over? It'd probably be a good idea to have something in your stomach in case you need to take a pain pill. Especially considering your low tolerance for medication."

"Sure, food sounds good. Get whatever, you know what I like."

"Okay, I'll be over as soon as I can. Just don't move!"

"Yes Doctor Brennan," he said with a smile as he hung up the phone.

_Oh, I'm so going to have to say some extra hail mary's for this,_ he thought to himself. Yes, he'd hurt himself a little bit during practice, but not as bad as he'd made it out to Bones. He'd been all set to down a couple of ibuprofen, fire up the heating pad and spend a quiet evening at home. After that, he knew he'd be fine in the morning. But as he sat there, he'd started to think about what Bones was doing tonight, and who she'd be doing it with, and the idea of playing sick to get her to play nursemaid was too good to resist. He loved when she was in her "take care of Booth" mode, for some reason, the act of looking after him always brought out her softer side. They would sit for hours next to each other, just talking or watching tv, nothing special, but all her usually impenetrable walls would always be down. She'd be casual, relaxed and sweet. She'd touch him more often, to check his injuries or temperature and he always reveled in the feeling of her hand on him. So if playing sick meant that he'd get to experience that tonight, and get her out of her date with Hodgins, he'd gladly pay the price at confession.


	7. Chapter 7

Love and War, part 2

"Booth?" Brennan called as she let herself in to his apartment. She didn't really want to disturb him if he was resting, but she needed to know that he was conscious and okay.

"In here Bones, on the couch." Came his reassuring reply.

"Hey." She said simply, walking into the living room and crouching down next to the couch. "How are you doing?" She asked, looking at him with obvious concern in her eyes.

"Oh I'm fine now. I took a pain pill." He said with a goofy grin. He'd actually only taken a couple of ibuprofen, but he figured that if she thought he was a little loopy on medicine, she might take what he had to say a bit easier. Especially if he said something she didn't like. So he was going to play it up a bit tonight.

"Great," she said with a smirk. "Well, at least I know I'll be entertained tonight. I brought Wong Foo's, you still feel like eating?"

"Absolutely."

"I'm sorry it took me a little longer to get here than I thought…" She apologized as she headed back to the kitchen to get the food. "I remembered that you shorted out your heating pad last time, so I stopped at the drugstore to get you a new one."

"Thanks Bones, that was really thoughtful of you." He said with a smile as she came in and handed him his food. "Was Hodgins okay with you cancelling?"

"He was fine." She said softly, giving Booth the impression the bug guy had not been happy with the situation. "It wasn't really a big deal."

"I don't know Bones, I think I'd take you cancelling out on a date with me to spend the evening with another man as a pretty big deal." He said, trying to draw a smile out of her.

"I can only imagine Booth! That type of situation would send all of your alpha male tendencies into overdrive!" She laughed.

"Hey, what can I say? It's who I am." He said, giving her the charm smile. "Alpha male all the way."

"Well, luckily for both of us, Jack's more easy-going than that. In your scenario, we'd already be dealing with him either at the door or already sitting between us on the couch."

_True,_ he thought. _If the situation had been reversed, there's no way I'd have let her come over here alone._ Not that he would be worried about what she would do, but more that he'd be making sure the guy she was helping knew at all times that she was taken.

"Booth?"

"Hmm?" He answered, mumbling around a mouth full of food.

"Where's Julie?"

"I don't know, Bones. It's not really my business anymore," he said simply. "We broke up after the ball."

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering why she wasn't over here taking care of you, that's all. It seems like something a good girlfriend would do."

"Or a good friend." He answered simply, reaching over to give her hand a squeeze.

"Or a good friend," she echoed with a small smile. "I am sorry though, I know break-ups are never pleasant."

"Nah, don't worry about it Bones. It wasn't that serious."

"So she wasn't 'the one'?" She asked innocently, giving him a piercing gaze.

"Huh?"

"You know, 'the one'. Remember? After that disaster with me dating two guys at once you told me that there's someone special out there for everyone. The one person we're meant to be with. So Julie wasn't your 'one'?"

"No Bones, she wasn't." He said simply, looking her dead in the eyes. _Because you are_, he thought to himself.

**********

An hour or so later, a very relaxed and happy Booth was lying comfortably on his couch. He had his head propped up on a pillow, his new heating pad on his back, his favorite sports show on television and his feet in his partner's lap while she quietly read her book. At this moment, all was right and good in his world and he was finally aware enough to appreciate it. Now he just had to figure out a way to make this an everyday occurrence.

"Bones?"

"Hmm…" She answered distractedly, not looking up from her book.

"I could get used to this." He said, putting his goofiest grin on his face.

"Used to what?" She asked, looking at him and smiling herself.

"Quiet time with you. Just sitting here being with each other. It's nice, isn't it?"

"Yeah Booth, it's nice."

"Have I ever told you that you're good company, Bones?"

"Booth, you're high. Go back to watching tv." She said with a laugh.

"No Bones, I mean it," he said earnestly, moving up into a more seated position with a groan. "Just sitting with you, doing absolutely nothing, is better than doing anything else with someone else. You, being with you, makes me happy in a way I don't think I can describe."

"Booth…" she said softly, looking uncomfortable.

"No Bones, I need you to hear this. I've been taking you for granted and I know it. I'm sorry. I don't want to let another day go by without telling you how much you mean to me, how absolutely essential you've become to my life. You and Parker, that's it. As long as I've got the two of you, I'm happy. I don't need anything else."

"Booth, I… I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything Bones. I just wanted you to hear me." He smiled at her. "Different kinds of families, remember?"

"I remember." She smiled back at him. "And Booth…?"

"Yeah?"

"Being with you makes me happy too." She admitted softly, before returning her attention to her book.

"Thanks Bones." _And that's a start_, he thought to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Sunlight and Shadow

On the afternoon of the Jeffersonian picnic, Booth had a moment of apprehension as he collected his son and headed over to the museum's gardens. His quiet campaign of winning over Bones had been going well, but very slowly. He knew better than to rush her into anything and was trying to use all his patience, knowing that she was worth it, but it killed him a little bit every time that he saw her with Hodgins. Especially if he saw her show any signs of happiness with the bug man. And today he knew he'd not only see them both but he'd also have to deal with seeming them very together. It wasn't going to be easy and he knew it, so he was glad he'd had the foresight to bring Parker. The bright and bubbly little boy was easily the best distraction he could have.

"Dad?" The boy in question called from the back seat.

"Yeah, bub?"

"Is Dr. Bones going to be at the picnic?"

"Of course."

"What about Mr. Max?" Parker asked, referencing Brennan's father.

"I think so." Booth answered, realizing he really didn't know if the older man would be there or not. He hoped so, both for his son's sake and for Bones'. Parker loved the man and had been thriving under his care and attention. Booth had the sneaking suspicion that he was losing the battle to not turn his kid into a squint, but he didn't really mind. If that's what excited Parker, what made him happy, then that was all his dad needed to know.

"I hope so, Daddy. Mr. Max is cool!" Booth chucked at his son's excitement. Yep, definite squint tendencies there. "Dad, why isn't Dr. Bones with us? Did you make her mad again?"

"Not that I know of, bub." _This time, _he added silently. "She's going to the picnic with some of her friends from work." He added, as he turned into the parking lot.

"Oh, you mean Dr. Hodgins?" The boy said sagely.

"Um, yeah, I suppose." Booth briefly wondered what his son knew about that latest development. And of course, what he thought of it.

"Daddy, why is Dr. Bones spending so much time with Dr. Hodgins if she's your girlfriend? Shouldn't she be spending more time with us? I miss her."

_Out of the mouths of babes,_ Booth thought ironically. "Bones isn't my girlfriend Parker, you know that. She's my partner and friend and I want what's best for her. So it's okay if she finds a nice man to date. It doesn't mean she likes us any less." He paused before continuing. "Don't you like Dr. Hodgins?"

"Yeah, he's cool. Not as cool as Mr. Max or Dr. Bones, but cool enough."

"Oh, okay." Booth laughed at the hierarchy of coolness his son had apparently developed in his mind.

"But Dad, why can't Bones be your girlfriend? Then she could be around all the time and we could all be together and be happy. We'd be better for her than Dr. Hodgins."

"You think so, bub?" He asked wryly.

"Uh huh 'cause we love her more."

"It's hard, isn't it?"

Angela's quiet voice shook him out of his reverie. He had no idea how long he'd been standing there in the shadows watching Bones and Hodgins sit together on a blanket in apparent total harmony. He'd tried to keep his eyes away from them for most of the day, focusing instead on maintaining a lighthearted conversation with people he really didn't have more than a passing acquaintance with. When Parker was around, his smile wasn't as forced, his good humor not as faked, but his son had found a few kids his age and was now busy playing some game around a section of bushes.

"Hmm?" He replied to Angela's question noncommittally, raising an eyebrow.

"Seeing them together," she explained. "It's hard and you don't want it to be, you want to be happy for them because they're both good people, but it hurts to see them together."

"You too, huh?" He said grimly. He'd wondered what Angela's reaction to this whole thing was and whether or not she'd had any inkling beforehand or had been blindsided like him. "How did you find out?"

"They came and talked to me, wanted to be sure I was okay. What could I say? 'No, even though I've moved on, I don't want my ex to find someone special. And certainly not if it's my beautiful and brilliant best friend.' Please, even I'm not that selfish. But even if I was able to wrap my brain around the concept, which I'm not saying I have, seeing it in front of me is a whole other thing, you know?"

"At least they considered how you'd react and talked to you first. I had to figure it out after I saw them at the ball. It was a h3ll of a surprise."

Angela tilted her head and looked at him strangely. "Is that a note of self-pity I detect, Agent Booth?"

"Absolutely." He admitted.

"Good, at least I'm not alone then." She paused for a moment before continuing. "We only have ourselves to blame though."

"I know."

"And that makes it suck more."

"Yep."

Angela smirks and gestures to the two of them. "You realize that you and I are supposed to be the ones who are adept at people, right? At least compared to them. And yet here we are, watching the loves of our lives find each other because we were too stupid to hold on to them and never let go." She paused for a moment and then gave him a sad look. "Do you think they'll last?"

"Look Angela, don't take this the wrong way…," he began, needing to let someone in on his plan and hoping that he was right to trust her with this. "I mean Hodgins is a great guy and I don't want you to think I'm deliberately trying to hurt him or anything, but—"

"Seeley Booth! You're planning something aren't you? You're going to try to break them up!" She said in amazement.

"Not exactly," he hedged. "I'm just…it's just… I just want Bones to see that there are other options. That he's not the only one who cares about her. That maybe someone else could make her even happier, could love her more than anyone else ever could."

"Someone who happens to work for the FBI and wear a 'cocky' belt buckle, perhaps?" Angela said with a smile while Booth blushed and nodded. "Hey I'm all for it. I mean, all you're doing is trying to show her another possible path, right? It's not like you're going to be trying to discredit Jack or something, right?"

"Absolutely. If I can't win her heart on my own, then I don't deserve to win it all. H3ll, I probably don't deserve her anyway, but I've got to try."

"I'm not even going to dignify that 'I don't deserve' her nonsense by commenting on it. You two belong together, everyone and anyone can see that. But Booth, are you sure this is what you want? I mean, you've had plenty of chances to make this happen before and you've always stepped away, relying on your stupid line to keep you safe. You have to have known it was always going to be you who made the first move but you didn't. Why now? Are you sure it's not just your competitive streak talking? Because if you screw this up for her and then walk away…"

"Angela, calm down. Yes, I'll admit it took me seeing her with Hodgins to get my act together, I guess I needed that push, needed to feel like I could lose her before I'd do anything. But that's all it was, a push. She's not some prize or trophy to be won and forgotten. She's….she's…," He struggled for a bit, trying to find the exact words to describe how he viewed Bones. How much he valued her. How he would spend every day cherishing her if she would allow him. "She's everything," he finally said.

The artist scanned his face, searching for proof of his feelings, and found what she was looking for. Maybe this whole mess would serve a bigger purpose if it finally got these two stubborn people together. "I believe you," she said simply and reached out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "And I'll help in any way I can."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N 1: Thank you all for your kind reviews and words of encouragement. You truly have inspired me to keep going. In return, here's the next part…**

**A/N 2: I hope this doesn't seem too OOC for Booth. In my mind, what happens in the following chapter is not a part of his plan to win Brennan over, so it throws him for a bit of loop, causing him to act a bit more panicked than usual. As I see it, he thinks this whole mission/plan he has is very delicate, one false move and it's all over. But that's not necessarily the case as good things can happen by accident too! ******

**A/N 3: I own nothing, least of all Bones.**

Hard Truths and Easy Lies, part 1

Booth stood outside her doorway, hesitant to knock. He'd worked so hard over the last few weeks to open her up more to him, to show her that he could make her happy, that he actually felt like he'd made real progress in their relationship. Of course Bones still had no idea that he wanted a relationship with her, but still they'd been making progress. He only hoped this unexpected surprise that he was about to spring on her wouldn't ruin all that. But he really had no other choice, he realized. He'd already gone through all the other options in his mind and this was the only one that might work. So he sucked up his courage and knocked on the door.

"Booth," she said warmly, smiling at his as she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Bones listen, I need a favor. I know what I'm going to ask you is probably not something you'll want to do, in fact I'm pretty damn sure of it, but I really don't have any other choice. I can't keep her at my place, the landlord won't let me and I've already called just about everybody else I know at the FBI and everyone's got some lame excuse why they can't help and really she just needs a place to stay until I can figure this out—x"

"Booth, it's okay," she said, clearly concerned by his rambling. "Of course 'she' can stay with me if you need it, I have the space so it's not a problem. But who exactly is 'she'?" She asked, looking around him and into the hallway, only to find it completely empty.

"I don't know her name, Bones. I doubt anyone's ever given her one," he said, holding up an oddly shaped box with holes at the top. "But I couldn't just let her starve to death!"

Brennan stared at the box for a moment, her mind going completely blank. He brought her a box? But then she heard the faint cry from inside and realized there was some kind of creature inside. She looked at Booth in surprise and froze at the look on his face. His expression was one of naked vulnerability and obvious concern and she instinctively responded to it, reaching out a hand to touch his cheek. "Booth, why don't you come in and tell me what's going on? Because right now, I'm completely confused."

He gave her a small smile and did as she asked, moving to sit on her couch and placing the box on the coffee table in front of him. Once he saw that she had closed and locked the front door, he opened the top of the box and took out a small cat, bringing it in close to his body and stroking it head calmly. _A cat?_ Brennan thought. _Of all the things I could ever imagine him bringing me, I don't think a cat ever entered my mind. _But he still had that look of concern on his face as he looked expectantly at her, so she took a seat next to him and inclined her head to indicate he should begin talking.

"Bones, I met up with some of my FBI buddies after work and we had a few drinks at this dive cop bar downtown. I wasn't really in the partying mood though, so I didn't stay long. But as I was walking back out to my car, I heard this sound at the side of the building…"

"So you took out your gun and went investigating." She said, with a wry smile. Yep, she had pegged and they both knew it.

"Yep," he said sheepishly. "Only it wasn't a perp, it was her." He gestured toward the cat that he was still holding. "And she just looked up at me and let out this little meow and I couldn't just leave her there. So after a little coaxing, I managed to scoop her up and took her to a vet, figuring that they'd be able to find her a good home."

"And they didn't help?" She asked, surprised. If she'd been in his place, that's where she would've gone for help.

"Oh they did, the vet examined her and gave her some food and medicine but they didn't have any place to put her. They were all full with other strays and giveaways that they were trying to find homes for and they warned me that the animal shelters had pretty much the same story—apparently when times get tough financially, a lot of people just abandon their pets. I didn't…I couldn't… Bones, she would've died. If I let her go, the vet said she would be dead of starvation in a week. If I brought her to the animal shelter, odds are they'd put her down. So I took her."

Brennan looked at this big, tough FBI agent sitting next to her and smiled. She knew that despite the tough exterior he showed the world, underneath beat the most tender heart. Of course he couldn't abandon a defenseless animal any more than he could walk away from a child in danger. It just wasn't in him. "But your landlord won't let you keep her?" She said, referencing a bit of his earlier speech.

"No, my lease has a 'no pets' clause. I didn't think it would be that big a deal, I mean she's only a little cat and I'd keep her inside, but he refused. And no one that I called wanted to take her and Rebecca's allergic so I couldn't bring her over there and give her to Parker. So I came here. Bones, I know you're a dog person, h3ll I always figured I was too, but she needs someone to look after her. She's got no one and all she wants is a home. Please, even if you don't want her, could she stay here until I find someone who will take her? Please?"

"Well, I can't say I ever thought of myself as a 'cat person' either, but that doesn't much matter now. Of course I'll take her, Booth. God, I can't believe people would just be able to turn their backs on a suffering living creature like this; or worse, that they could just abandon them when things got rough. And yet they say acting with compassion is being 'humane' as though we humans are the best at taking care of others. Anthropologically speaking, pets have evolved into gentle, docile creatures who depend on us for their basic needs. They didn't start out that way, we've made them that way over generations. Asking them to take care of themselves without any human help now is just cruel."

Booth just stared at her, speechless. She amazed him. Absolutely floored him. He'd been in such a panic, sure that this favor was going to set back all the past weeks of work he'd done to bring them closer. He hadn't been lying when he said that he'd tried every other option he could think of before showing up on her doorstep. He really had called everyone he could think of after leaving the vet's office but no one had been willing to take the sweet kitty. And here was the one person he had been most afraid of asking, stepping up to the plate willingly and spouting off on how it would be unconscionable to do otherwise. Wow.

"Bones, I… thank you. Really. Just thank you." It had been a long day even before he'd headed out to the bar and it had gotten even longer after he'd found the cat and doing everything he could or her. Now that he finally had a place for her, he felt himself relax for the first time in hours.

"Can I hold her?" Bones asked softly, looking at the bundle in his arms.

"Of course. She's really pretty sweet. The vet said that she didn't think she belonged to anybody, no microchip or signs of immunization, but that she wasn't scared of people so she wasn't feral." He explained, passing the drowsy cat off to his partner.

"She's beautiful," Bones said reverently, stroking the cats small head with one hand and she settled the animal in the crook of her other arm. She really was a pretty cat, mostly tortoiseshell striped at the top matched by white covering the bottom half and three of her feet. One foot had the same markings as her striped top and the fur around her eyes was especially dark, making her appear to be wearing some kind of eyeliner. "The vet said she was starving?" she asked after she felt the cat's ribs.

"Yeah. He figures she's about 7 months old but only about 5 pounds big. She's probably been on her own a while, trying to scavenge whatever food she could find."

"Well those days are over. We're going to make her fat and happy, aren't we?" Brennan asked, smiling over at him with the most incredible expression on her face. _She's happy,_ he thought to himself, _she's already half in love with the little animal._ It never ceased to amaze him how capable of love she was and yet she didn't see it. He'd seen it with baby Andy and now with this cat—her instincts to love were there and they were strong.

"Absolutely Bones, absolutely." He said, his heart swelling with the fact that she'd said 'we', once again showing her complete trust in him. As though it didn't even occur to her that he wouldn't be there to help. As though the cat were theirs instead of hers. "Now, I have some supplies the vet gave me down in the truck. Cat box, litter, food, you know the drill. Let me just pop down there and get it."

"Of course." She said, rising off the couch with him while still keeping the cat cradled in her arm. But she stopped him before they got to the door with a gentle hand on his arm. "Booth…"

"Yeah Bones?"

"What are we going to call her?"

Again with the 'we'. He swore his heart expanded to twice its normal size every time she said it. "I don't know Bones, any ideas?"

She looked at the sleeping animal and then looked back at him with a small smile. "How about Annabelle?"

"I like it," he said with an answering smile. "Hear that kitty? You're now Annabelle Brennan-Booth and we're going to make sure you have a great life."

"Brennan-Booth?" Bones said, laughing.

"Of course Bones, I insist on joint custody."


	10. Chapter 10

Hard Truths and Easy Lies, part 2

Brennan was confused.

She couldn't wrap her mind around why exactly she was feeling this way, but she had to accept that this sinking feeling in her stomach would not go away. Or at least it apparently didn't want to be rationalized away or she would've been able to get rid of it days ago.

On the one hand, this was one of the happiest times of her life. She was doing a job she loved, two jobs actually, and she was well compensated for it. She had great friends and family around her now and more support than she could ever remember having in her life before. She had a cat who ran to meet her every day when she came home and slept curled up into her stomach every night. She should be (what was that expression Booth used?)… walking on clouds. Instead, she was confused.

Because even though her days were filled with meaningful work, her nights were filled with laughter, companionship and fun. She hadn't spent an even alone in weeks, instead finding herself spending all her free time with either Jack or Booth. If she was with Jack, they'd spend their time watching science fiction movies (which he inexplicably seemed to love and yet somehow enjoyed her cynical take on the storylines) or going to various cultural events or music clubs. The evenings would always end with him dropping her off outside her building, a gentle kiss goodnight, and a walk back up to her apartment alone.

If she was spending time with Booth, it usually involved miscellaneous take-out food, bickering, playing with Annabelle (or "their daughter" as Booth liked to joke about her), and plenty of laughter. They would most likely stay in for the night, doing anything from watching television (she'd finally succumbed to his request that she get a decent one), filling out paperwork, or even the occasional board game. More often than not, the evenings would end early into the next morning, after they had woken up from unexpectedly dozing on her couch. He would always make her follow him to the door before he gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead and waited in the hallway to hear her engage her locks before heading home. And she would gather up the cat and head to bed, feeling both happy to have spent another evening in his company and strangely sad to see him leave, even though she knew she'd be seeing him in the morning.

"Morning T, you busy?"

Brennan glanced at the clock by her bedside before answering, "Jack, it's 6 am and we don't really have a big case going on, so how busy could I be? I was just getting ready for work."

She heard him chuckle softly over the phone and had to smile herself. One of the things she admired most about him was how he exuded an almost constant sense of calm and good humor. He wasn't quick to anger or subject to wild mood swings, and being around him helped ground her in a way that she hadn't ever felt with any of her previous relationships. Not that there'd been tons of them, but still.

"So do you think you could be persuaded to meet me for breakfast before work?"

"Sure. You want to meet at the diner?"

"Not really. How about the Pancake House instead?"

"Sure. I'll meet you there in 30 minutes."

"I'll be there."

True to her word, she found herself walking into the brightly decorated restaurant 30 minutes later to find Jack already there and waiting for her. A smile immediately lit up her face when she watched him bend down to help a frazzled waitress gather up the dishes she'd apparently dropped. Here was one of the wealthiest men in the country, perhaps even the world, and instead of throwing his weight around and demanding people wait on him at all times, he was helping someone else. It was just so him. His kindness and humility far outweighed his ego, no matter what the situation. He never flaunted his wealth, never threw his weight around (except in extreme circumstances and even then usually to help out a friend) and never expected to be treated differently from anyone else. He was truly a remarkable man.

"Hey, there you are!" He exclaimed as he looked up and saw her. He placed the dishes he had in his hand on the frazzled girl's tray, gave her a small smile and then moved over to Brennan, placing a light kiss on her cheek.

"That was nice of you," she said as they sat down at the small table.

"Huh? Oh, the waitress? Well, I wasn't just going to sit here and do nothing while the poor girl struggled. No big deal."

_No, Jack, you're wrong,_ she thought. _But that's probably what makes it a big deal—you have no idea how truly wonderful you are._ "Maybe not, but not everyone would do it," she said instead and reached across the table to squeeze his hand.

"Maybe not, but they should." He smiled at her and reached over to brush an errant strand of hair off her face. "So, what are your plans for this weekend? 'Cause if you're free, I have an idea…"

"As far as I know I'm free. As long as we don't get a case between now and then, of course. Why, what do you have in mind?" She asked absently while perusing the menu.

"I'd like to take you away for the weekend."

Her head shot up in surprise, her eyes immediately searching his. _Did he mean what she thought he meant?_ Going away together was a big step in a relationship, Angela had taught her that years ago, one she wasn't sure that she was ready for, especially now when she was feeling so confused and conflicted about how she felt about Jack. Plus, they hadn't yet progressed past the kissing stage of their coupling. A vacation implied a hotel room, which implied a bed, which definitely implied sex.

He must have read her thoughts in her eyes because he smiled and said simply, "T, I want to be closer to you. As cliché as it sounds, I want us to take the next step. I want it to be special and romantic and all about us, just the two of us, no distractions, no interruptions, no cases. But I need you to tell me if that's what you want too…"

"Jack, I'm… I'm scared." She said simply. She didn't want to hurt him and admit all of her doubts, but sleep with and have no consequences, that once emotions are involved, things can't be casual. I think he's right and I think… no, I know, that being with you, in that way, would be anything but casual. If things go wrong between us after we've taken that step, what then? How would we survive it and still be able to be around each other? Work together?"

"T, there are no guarantees in life and I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that things will never get complicated or messy between us. They might, they might not, I just don't know. But I can tell you that whether we're ever intimate or not, I will always care about you and want to have you in my life. I felt that way before we got involved and I'll feel that way in the future. That won't ever change. But T, we can't keep going like this indefinitely—more than friends but not quite lovers. We need to figure out what we really want to be to each other and I think we need to do that somewhere where we can be alone."

"And what if being more, being lovers, doesn't work out for us?"

"Then we'll take it from there, but at least we'll know where we stand. Okay?"

She took a deep breath and answered, "Okay."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: Okay, this bit is shorter than my usual chapters but I really couldn't wait to put it up because I like it so much. Hopefully you'll like it too and forgive me for my brevity. **__****__** More will come soon…**_

Give and Take, part 1

"Booth, could you watch Annabelle this weekend?" She asked softly when they were in the SUV later that day.

"Sure Bones, no problem. Where are you off to this time?"

"I'm not sure. Jack's arranging some sort of weekend getaway for us."

_Great_, Booth thought to himself, _and I just made it easier for him_. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter in frustration and forced himself to stay calm. He wasn't going to get anywhere by losing his cool in front of her now. So he settled for giving her a simple, "Oh."

"Yeah." She said softly in return before they both lapsed back into silence for a few uncomfortable minutes before she surprised him with her next words. "I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean?"

"Jack says it's time we figured out whether we want to be lovers or friends, that we can't just stay in this in between area forever. And intellectually I know he's right. But emotionally…" she let the rest of her sentence break off while he was busy interpreting her words.

Was she saying what he thought she was saying? He hadn't even considered the idea that she and Hodgins hadn't slept together yet, it had seemed too farfetched, too much to hope for. After all, who could be that close to her day after day and not sleep with her? She was the most beautiful, fascinating, sexy woman he'd ever known, dating her but not being physically intimate was completely inconceivable to him. Still, this new knowledge definitely worked in his favor…if he could believe it.

"Wait Bones, I really don't want to pry but are you saying that you and Hodgins haven't…you know?"

"Had sex?" She supplied and smiled as he cringed. He was such a prude when it came to talking about sex with her. "No, we haven't."

"Wow, um, I don't know what to say to that. I'd just assumed, since you two were dating and all, I mean you've always been pretty, you know, up front about that in the past…" _God, _he thought, _I want to know what's going on but I don't really want to have to talk about this in detail._

"Booth, despite what you might think I'm not promiscuous." She said with a scowl.

"Bones! God no, I didn't mean that. I just meant that you're, you know comfortable with your 'biological urges', that's all. And besides, it's not all about what you have or haven't done, I mean, what the h3ll's wrong with Hodgins?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well come on Bones, you know you're attractive, beyond that even. Why on earth hasn't he made his move? I mean, if I were the one in a relationship with you…"

"What Booth, what would you do?"

"Bones," he said on a groan. He was trying so hard here to be her friend and not let his own feelings get in the way and here she was, innocently pulling him right into it. Making him imagine what could be at the exact moment she was talking about sleeping with another man. How was he supposed to do this? "Bones, if I were lucky enough to be your man, there's no way I could let it go this long without showing you how special you are and how much you mean to me."

"You mean making love as opposed to crappy sex?"

"Yes Bones, I mean making love, but it's also more than that. It's about spending hours worshiping your body with my own, but it's also about holding your hand while we walk somewhere, brushing your hair aside when it falls in your face, giving your knee a gentle squeeze when we're seated next to each other—all those little things that would physically show you how connected I am to you. I wouldn't be able to go a day, h3ll maybe even an hour, without doing something. Of that I'm absolutely sure."


	12. Chapter 12

Give and Take, part 2

Silence reigned in the SUV while both partners absorbed what Booth had said and wondered what it meant for them in the future.

"Booth?"

"Ummm?"

"You already do most of those things." She said quietly.

"Yes, Bones, I do."

"Following your line of thinking then, that would mean that you have romantic feelings for me. And that you've been showing me that for a while now."

"Yes, Bones."

"Yes?" she repeated. "Yes to what? That you have feelings for me or that you've been trying to show me that for a while?"

Booth couldn't take it anymore, this calm and analytical discussion of his feelings as though they were talking about a case or something. He pulled the SUV over, put it in park, and turned to her with nothing but honesty in his eyes. "Yes to both of those, Bones. God, this so wasn't how I was ever expecting to tell you, but here it is. I love you. I've loved you for a while now, to the point I can't remember when I didn't love you. And I know you think love is all brain chemicals and physical attraction and sure, maybe that's where it starts most of the time, but for us? For us, Bones, it started with friendship and respect and understanding. The love, the desire, the attraction, everything grew from that."

"Booth, I don't… I can't… how?"

"Bones, listen to me. You like facts, right?" He paused to wait for her nod of assent. "Okay, then look at the facts of us. We spend most of our time together and yet it's still not enough. When I go back to my apartment at the end of the night, I'm sad because I'd still rather be with you. Just being with you, around you, makes me happy. You're the first person I have to see or talk to when something happens, good or bad. And it makes me absolutely crazy to see you with anyone else. And I can't be sure, but I think you feel the same way."

"And if I do?"

"Then we take it from there. We, just the two of us together, get to decide what kind of relationship we want to be in. But when you think of everything we already are to each other, it really shouldn't be that much of a difference. We don't have to go through all that awkward beginning of a new relationship stuff—finding out what each other likes and dislikes, what annoying habits we each have, how to survive fighting without hating each other. We've already done all that. For me at least, I think it would be easier. I wouldn't have to fight with myself all the time to keep from touching you or doing something inappropriate. It would be a relief, really, to have you know and accept me in that way." He said simply, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips softly. "I love you, Temperance Brennan. I want to be with you. I want to show you how great being in love, being in a relationship, can be. All I need is for you to let me."

"But Booth, what if I can't do that, what if I can't be what you want, what you need? What if we try and everything goes horribly wrong?"

"I can't give you any guarantees here Bones. You're right, it's a risk. But no matter what we do, things are going to change, they're already changing. I just don't want either of us to turn around 5 or 10 years from now and wonder about what could've been, you know? Whatever happens, if we try to be together, I can promise you I won't have any regrets. But I think we're it, Bones, the real thing. The type of connection we already have, it can only get stronger. What we have already is something most people spend their whole lives looking for, if we add romance and commitment to it, we'll be unstoppable."

Brennan stared at him as he stopped talking, his words still echoing throughout her head. Booth loved her. Booth wanted her. Booth wanted to be in a relationship with her. She could hardly believe it, but she knew he had been telling her the truth. She thought back to all their conversations, all the casual touches and smiles, all the times brown eyes locked with blue. The only question that remained was: did she love him?

"Booth, I… I need some time… to think…"

"I know, Bones. I know how you operate, you need time to process things. That's fine. I can wait a little more for your answer, don't worry. I'll still be here when you figure things out. But I need you to know something, if we decide to do this, we need to go all in, no holding back and definitely no seeing other people. I'm willing to compromise on a lot for you, but this is non-negotiable, okay?"

"Okay," she replied, knowing what he was saying. It was in many ways the same conversation she'd had with Jack. It was time to make a decision, make a commitment. But to whom? And how would she able to salvage a friendship with whichever one she didn't choose?


	13. Chapter 13

Anger and Acceptance

At 7 pm that night, Booth was still in his office, trying to figure out if he should go over to the lab to cajole Bones into joining him at the diner as he usually would on every other night. But this hadn't been like any other day, so he wasn't sure whether he should treat tonight like any other night. They had barely spoken to each other after his emotional confession that morning and he really didn't know how what to do next. On the one hand, if he went over there and she wasn't ready to talk, he could be making things a lot worse. He knew better than anyone that it didn't pay to rush Bones. But then again, if he just backed off completely after confessing his feelings this morning, she might think he didn't mean it or regretting it somehow. The decision was taken out his hands though, when his door burst open and a livid Temperance Brennan stood in his doorway.

"You selfish son of a bitch." She said as she came into the office fully and slammed the door behind her.

"Well good evening to you too, Bones. What can I do for you?" He said, rising to feet and internally bracing himself for the upcoming fight.

"What can you do for me? You can go to hell Seeley Booth," she spat out at him, moving further into the room. The look in her eyes was wild and full of fire and Booth had the fleeting thought that he'd probably never seen her look more alive or sexier. The normally cool, calm and collected Dr. Brennan was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the woman facing him now, trying to stare him down with a look of pure venom, was 100% Temperance (in a completely ironic twist on the true meaning of her name of course) , 100% his Bones. All he wanted was to sit back and enjoy her display, even though he was sure to be the one burned by this particular display of the fire within her.

"Whoa," he said, standing up and moving around his desk suddenly once he saw that she was making her move to leave. "You can't just drop that particular verbal bombshell on me and then walk away, Bones. What's going on?"

"What's going on?" She repeated, turning all her rage on him again. "You arrogant ass! You're what's going on. And how dare you talk to me about dropping bombshells?! You're the one who's completely blown my entire life to pieces and you damn well know it. Four years, Booth, four years! I've been by your side for four years and never once have you made a move on me. Did you honestly think I never thought of it, never wondered what we'd be like together? That all your talk of eventually and making love and someone you're meant to be with hadn't really affected me? Contrary to popular belief, I'm not made of stone, Booth!"

"I know you're not." He said softly. He'd said his peace, he'd laid everything out on the proverbial table this morning. Now apparently, it was his turn to listen.

"Really? You know that? Then tell me, oh wise one, what exactly was I supposed to do with all these cryptic comments you've made over the years? Was I supposed to somehow just ignore the fact that everything I am, everything I believe in, is the exact opposite of what you've always said you want? Am I supposed to ignore that with the exception of Cam, every time I've ever seen you with a woman, she's been blonde and busty and feminine, again everything I'm not and just somehow know that deep down, I was the one you wanted? Or was I just supposed to be happy with these empty words that you gave me, never knowing if you really meant them for me but hoping all the same that you did and having my heart break a little each time you backed away? Because that's what it's been like for me Booth, and either you didn't notice or you didn't care. "

"Bones I—"

"No Booth, it's my turn now. You've been at me for years to tear down all these walls I've built around my emotions, even though they've protected me and kept me sane, but only volunteered little bits and pieces of yourself when you absolutely had to. And when I'm finally completely vulnerable to you, trusting you more than I've ever trusted anyone, how am I supposed to react when you keep pointing out my flaws? You know I don't understand how people interact with each other, you know that I communicate with blunt honesty but I just don't pick up on the subtleties of socialization, and yet you've been spouting off all these cryptic statements that I would spend hours at night just trying to interpret. And then just when I'd start to get my hopes up that maybe, just maybe you could see me as something more than just your partner or your friend, you'd make some comment that would just cut me to the quick and leave me there feeling like my insides were ripped out…"

"Bones, what are you talking about? What have I said that's hurt you? I can't imagine I'd ever…"

"Oh let's see. How about telling me I'm creepy? Or that I'm an unfeeling robot? What about berating me whenever I tried to find someone to satisfy my biological urges? Did you ever think that maybe I get lonely from time to time? That maybe there were times where this back-and-forth of yours made me absolutely crazy and I needed to know that there was someone who just wanted me for a little while. Who wasn't going to tie me up in knots and then leave me trying to figure out how to get out of them. How about you constantly reminding me that I'm not good with people, often times right in front of whoever I'm trying to talk to? You don't think that could drive a person slightly crazy? Don't you see how I've tried, how I keep trying to become better? And yet, you make these off-handed remarks and make me feel like I've been wasting my time because I'm obviously not getting anywhere. "

"Oh Bones, I didn't mean…"

"Just shut up, Booth, shut up and let me finish. And now, now when I've got a real chance at someone who cares about me and wants me just for me, you've decided that you want me too. Am I supposed to just accept that? Am I not supposed to question the timing of it all? Come on Booth, you've had years and how many opportunities to start something with me, to erase your precious line? And yet you haven't done a damn thing in all this time. But you see someone else take an interest, someone who could actually be more than just a temporary distraction and all of a sudden you make a move on me. Am I supposed to just trust that you've wanted to do that all this time? Because I'm not buying it Booth, it's too convenient and I've learned not to trust coincidences."

At first, all Booth could do was stare at her while her words worked their way into his brain. She'd flung some pretty harsh observations at him, most of them wrong of course, but he could completely understand how she could see things that way. Knowing how her mind worked, knowing that she was most comfortable when dealing with absolutes, his struggle with his feelings toward her must have been confusing. She was like an abused animal, wanting to be comforted while at the same time ready to attack or run away at a moment's notice.

He was carefully planning out in his mind how he would explain himself in a way she would understand, trying frantically to come up with a logical answer to all of her questions, when she suddenly sat down on the couch. No, sat was the wrong word. Collapsed was more like it. It was as though by finally letting all of her anger and confusion out, her energy had gone right along with it. She looked exhausted, defeated and vulnerable in a way he'd never seen her before. And when she turned those eyes on him with a beseeching expression, he was lost all over again.

"Booth, I… I don't know what to do here. Help me."

He sat next to her and gently took her hands in his as he turned to face her. "Bones you know, you have to know, that I would do anything in my power to make this easier for you if I could, but this is something you're going to have to come to terms with on your own. I'm sorry, more sorry than I can ever say to have to lay all this in your lap. And I swear to you that I never meant to put you in this position, not intentionally. But sweetheart, honestly, I'm just not strong enough to walk away from you without ever telling you how I feel, how much I want to be the man that teaches you what love is all about."

"What do you mean Booth? Are you saying if I don't choose you, that you're leaving? You're walking away from me?" She asked, her voice rising in panic with each word.

"No Bones, I'm not going anywhere. I'll continue to be your partner for as long as the powers that be keep us together and I'll always be your friend, don't ever doubt that. I meant I'll walk away from the possibility of us having anything more than that. I'll have to give up that dream."

"Oh."

"Look," he said, taking her chin in one of his hands and forcing her to meet his eyes. "No matter what or who you choose, even if you decide you don't want anything to do with either of us, we'll work through it. Sure, it's bound to be a little uncomfortable at first, but we'll deal. And I'm sure Jack would agree with me when I say that no matter what, I refuse to lose you entirely from my life."

"Booth… he has no idea what's going on. I spent all day avoiding him at the lab. I even hid on the roof for a while, trying to figure all this out before I had to talk to hm. What kind of person does that?"

"A confused one," he said with a smile. "Someone who doesn't want to deal with two alpha males hounding her while she's trying to think."

"Beta."

"Huh?"

"I think Jack's more beta than alpha." She said quietly, and then hurried to add, "not that that's a bad thing."

"Of course not Bones." But inside, he felt hope surge a little brighter within him. He knew Bones. She needed someone who was as strong as she was, who would stand toe-to-toe with her and not back down on important issues. She needed to be challenged, just like he did. It was the give and take of the challenge that made each of them better in the end. She wouldn't be satisfied with someone who took a back seat to her, not long term.

"Booth?" Her soft voice interrupted his reverie.

"Yeah Bones?"

"You and I, we'd never be easy."

"No, I don't imagine we would."

"We'd fight all the time."

"Bicker, Bones, we'd bicker. Just like we do now. There's a difference between that and really fighting."

"But we'd really fight sometimes."

"Absolutely."

"But then what? What if we have a huge blow-up argument where you just can't take me anymore and you leave? I don't think I'd survive losing you, Booth. It would be too much."

And with those words, Booth felt the hope that had sparked inside him bloom into a full-blown fire within his chest. She loved him as much as he loved her. He was sure of it, even if she couldn't say it, couldn't understand what that meant just yet. Because he knew exactly what she was talking about, what she was afraid of, because he felt that same terror every time he thought of losing her. "Bones, I'm not leaving you. Not now, not ever. No matter what happens, no matter how we fight or say things to each other, I won't walk always from you. I might go sleep on the couch or something, but even then I won't be far. The only way anyone's getting me away from you is by taking me away in a pine box and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep that from happening until we're both very old and very gray. I promise."

She didn't say anything at his words, but he could see her taking it all in, swirling it around in that incredible mind of hers. He leaned over and softly touched his lips to hers, not wanting to pressure her at all but needing to both give and receive the reassurance of a kiss. She sighed as she opened her mouth slightly to return the kiss more passionately than it started. He felt her hands travel to his arms and take hold there, bringing him closer to her as she changed the angle of her head slightly to deepen the kiss even more. His hands moved on their own volition to cup her face as he poured everything he had, everything he felt for this amazing woman into this one kiss.

And then suddenly, a kiss wasn't enough for either of them. In an almost synchronized movement, he leaned back against the couch as she leaned forward to straddle his hips. His hands were roaming over the soft curves he'd longed to touch for so long, exploring carefully each crest and valley and trying to commit it all to memory while she busying herself with removing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. Each touch, each kiss, each tiny bit of skin that was revealed brought the partners closer to their goal and fueled their passion. It was already the most passionate lovemaking experience either had ever had and they were still both mostly clothed.

"Bones," he moaned when she leaned down to lick his collarbone. "Bones, we have to stop."

"Why?" she mumbled against his skin as she nuzzled more into his neck.

"Oh god because we can't do this here. Because no matter how amazing this feels or how much I want to explore every inch of you right now, I don't want our first time together to be on my office couch. And because it will only make things harder on both of us if we do this now, like this, before you've made your decision. Baby, you're killing me here but I'm trying to do the honorable thing." He said, pulling her back to rest her forehead against his, willing his body back under control.

"I understand." She said softly, moving away slightly.

"You do?" He asked, scanning her face for truth and willing her to believe him.

"I do. I'm not saying I'm entirely happy about it," she said with a wry smile. "But I understand."

"Good." He said, smiling back at her and pulling her back to him for another quick kiss. They both stood up then and rearranged their clothing to make themselves presentable again, all the while sneaking glances and little smiles to each other. "We okay?" He asked simply, when she moved to the door.

"We're okay." She responded simply. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." He replied and then watched her leave his office. It was going to be a h3ll of a long night.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note**__**: Yes, I know it's been a ridiculously long time since I posted but real life has been crazy. I'm a teacher/reading specialist at a middle school (grades 6-8) and budget cuts have forced me to try to combine the two jobs into one—not easy in the best of circumstances, but really hard at the end of the school year. Plus, I'm getting my masters at the same time and my school is currently under construction, so I had to pack up two rooms in a matter of days. But, it's summertime for me now, so my musie is beginning to return (she really doesn't seem to like stress)! **__****_

_**A/N #2:**__** We're getting close to the end now..**_

Pain and Pleasure, pt. 1

Temperance Brennan sat in her car for untold moments, just trying to gather her thoughts and gather strength for what was to come. She smirked to herself when she realized that for a non-emotional person, she was probably having the most emotional night of her life so far. The highs and lows of tonight would be hard to replicate, but then again, she doubted she'd ever want to. No, she was much more comfortable with maintaining things on an even keel where her emotions were concerned. At least as much as she could.

But what she wanted wasn't really important right now and she couldn't allow herself to spend time contemplating her own needs. No, she had to focus on the needs of the man she was about to talk to, the man who had been nothing but kind and wonderful to her but who she was going to have to let go of tonight.

"T!" Hodgins greeted her warmly, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her cheek before moving aside to motion her into the house. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Hi Jack," she said softly. "I just… I just hoped you might have a few minutes to talk."

"Ah." Jack said sagely as he hung her coat in the hall closet and led her into the living room. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No thanks." She said, moving to sit stiffly on one end of the large sofa.

"So what's up?" He asked, sitting down in the chair across from where she was.

"Jack, I can't go away with you this weekend."

"No problem T, we can go some other time. Did you get a case?"

"No Jack, there's no case. At least not that I know of yet." she said sadly, shaking her head and looking down.

"Ah." He said simply. "So you've made a decision about us then."

"Yes and no. I didn't mean for it to happen, for me to feel like this, and I need you to know that I really do care about you, but regardless of how physiologically impossible it is for any organ to exist in one situation or another, my heart isn't in this relationship the way it should be."

"Because you don't love me."

"No Jack, I don't. Not in the way I'd need to be for us to become truly serious about each other."

"I understand, T. " He said with a small, sad smile.

"You do?"

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I care about you too and I think maybe if things had been different we would've been the perfect couple, but as we are now, we'd always be second best to each other. No matter how hard we might try to make it be more, we're better off as friends than lovers."

Brennan stared at Hodgins with her mouth open, utterly amazed by him. How did he do this? How did he manage to take the most awkward conversation of her life and turn it into something so calm? She only hoped that he wasn't just trying to make things easier for her. It would be just like him to put her comfort ahead of his own in a difficult situation. But his expression was entirely open and genuine, at least as far as she could tell with her limited expertise, and his words about 'second best' struck a chord within her. "You're still in love with Angela." She commented simply.

"Yeah. No matter how hard I try not to be, no matter how much I want to move on, she's still got that prime position in my heart, you know?"

"Yeah," she said, echoing his words.

"Just like Booth is in yours, T."

"How…?"

"It's been obvious to everyone around you for years that you two love each other, belong together even. And I'm not just saying that because I was always around when Angie was trying to get you together. It's the truth. But then he started dating that bimbo and ignoring you and it just seemed like you two might have missed your chance to be together."

"And then we started trying to be together…"

"And that was great T, please know that. For a few months I got to have one of the most intelligent, beautiful and fascinating women in the world on my arm as my date and my companion. But I think we always knew deep down, we were meant to be just good friends."

"No Jack, we're more than that." She said simply, giving him a smile when he looked at her in surprise. "We're family. And family sticks together."

"Family. Yeah, that fits." He reached over to give her hand a gentle squeeze.

They sat there together for a long while, loosely holding each other's hand while they lost themselves in their individual thoughts. Both knew it was bound to be a little awkward for a while between them, but not to the point where it would jeopardize their bond. They were solid.


	15. Chapter 15

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know, I know, I suck. It's been far too long since my last update and I have no excuse that will make it okay. Real life has been really bad and I've been devoid of all inspiration. So all I can do now is beg for forgiveness. **__****__** I'm committed to finishing this story though, so please don't worry, I won't leave you hanging. We've got one or two more chapters left, so I hope you're still with me…**_

Night & Day, part 1

Brennan let out a deep sigh as she leaned back in the tub and continued to let the warm water work its magic. The day had truly taken its toll on her, from her confrontation with Booth, to the talk with Hodgins, to her own personal revelation about what she really wanted. Or who she really wanted. Only now, in the comfort of her own bath, with the softly scented bubbles surrounding her, could she allow herself to relax fully. She was done thinking, done talking, done questioning for the day. For a non-emotional person, today was overwhelming.

She heard her door creak slightly open and turned her head to see Annabelle stride in, head held high, before jumping on the ledge of the tub to observe this bizarre ritual her human seemed to enjoy. Brennan couldn't help but laugh when she saw her little paw snake out to "chase" some of the bubbles. This little creature who she hadn't even known a month or two ago, was no such an integral part of her life that she couldn't imagine not coming home to that little face every day.

_Yet another good thing Booth has brought into my life that I hadn't even known I needed,_ she thought.

As if the thought had conjured the man, her reverie was interrupted by a persistent knocking on her door. She knew that knock.

As she quickly got out of the bath, toweled herself off and put on a robe, she had a little internal battle with herself. _He's just checking on me because he's concerned. He's not intentionally pushing me, he's just needs to be sure I'm okay. _And while everything she was telling herself as she walked to the door was true and she knew it, she couldn't help being slightly annoyed that he hadn't given her the time she'd asked for.

"Hey Bones," he said, giving her a large smile as she opened the door.

"Booth, this is not tomorrow." She said simply, stepping aside to allow him entrance.

He looked at his watch and smirked as he said, "Well actually Bones, since it's past the midnight mark, I think it is. But don't worry, I get your point and I won't stay long. I just needed to make sure that everything went okay tonight. That you're okay."

She smiled despite herself. No matter how bad she was at reading people in general, she had gotten good at understanding him. Which was, she supposed, more important to her life anyway. "Yes, Booth, everything went find and I'm not upset at all. I'm just exhausted. I came home intending to have a long soak and then hit the blankets."

"The sheets, Bones. It's hit the sheets." He reached out and twisted his finger around a damp curl that had settled on the side of her face. "I interrupted your bath, huh?"

"Yes, but I needed to get out anyway. Annabelle was about to have an unfortunate incident with some of my bubbles and I can tell you from experience that a wet cat is not a happy cat."

Booth smiled and then looked around for the cat, settling for calling for her when he couldn't see her. She responded immediately to his voice and quickly began rubbing herself around his legs, begging for attention. As he lifted her into his arms and began to scratch under her chin, she let out the loud open mouthed purr that signaled her supreme happiness. Both Brennan and Booth had to chuckle whenever she did that—it really sounded more like a snore than a purr when she did that! "And how's my little girl tonight? You fighting the good fight against rogue bubbles?" He asked as he noticed her wet paws.

"Absolutely," Brennan laughed. "She's the ultimate bath warrior."

He gave the cat a small kiss on the top of her head and then reached over to bring Brennan's eyes to his. "You sure you're okay, Bones?"

"I'm fine, Booth. I promise. Just tired. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."

"Are we okay?" He looked at her with such concern as he asked this question, she had to wonder if that was his main reason for coming tonight. Maybe for once, he needed her reassurance.

"We're fine." She said simply, giving him a smile and small kiss. "I just need to go lie down before I fall down. If you want, you could stay here tonight…in the guest room, I mean. Then I can tell you all about everything first thing in the morning."

"I'd love that Bones. Are you sure though, I don't want to intrude."

"No intrusion Booth, I promise. Yesterday was laundry day so the sheets and towels are all clean. I think Russ left some pajamas here last time he stayed, just check the dresser." She paused as a huge yawn hit her, causing tears to form in her eyes. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No, I'm good Bones. You go on to bed. I'll make sure our girl has food and water, lock everything up and all that—you go to bed, you're exhausted. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Booth." She said simply, giving him another small kiss.

"Good night beautiful." He said softly, pulling her in for a gentle hug and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Sleep tight."

She smiled at his sweet phrase and then headed to her bedroom. She was asleep in record time, the smile still on her face knowing he was close-by.


End file.
